Feds dish out $200m for road upgrades

Federal Government gives local councils an extra $200 million to spend on roads

The Federal Government will give local councils across the country an extra $200 million to spend on roads.

In announcing the extra funding, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese says it is important to ensure roads maintained by councils are maintained to ensure national productivity does not fall.

"We understand how important the[se] grants are for rural and regional councils, where these funds can compromise more than half of council revenue," Albanese says.

The grants were recommended to the Government by the various state’s Local Government Grants Commission and will be followed by other grants.